Helium release valve

[Watch Watcher]

I may be missing something, but surely if a watch stops being waterproof if you don't have the crown screwed down, you can just unscew the crown to let helium out, rather than needing a special valve?

Tom

[Putts113]

I'd never thought of it that way, but I guess you're right. Likewise, Rolex has a naff little He release thing on the side of their watches, which I guess is superfluous by your reasoning too.

[JimH]

If the Helium value crown is unscrewed the watch is still waterproof but to a lesser depth (50 M). Unscrewing this crown exposes a one-way valve which allows higher pressure helium gas inside the watch to escape. The one-way value does not allow water to enter the watch.

See the "Omega Instructions" manual for more information on the Helium valve.

The Helium valve would only used at the completion of a professional saturation diving tour (living in a high-pressure environment containing Helium gas) during de-pressurization and will likely never be need to be used by any recreational diver. Therefore, for most all people, the Helium valve crown should be kept closed tight and never opened.

[Watch Watcher]

I see. I'll have to have a read when my SMP arrives. Cheers guys!

[Seamaster73]

Seiko's Marine Master is of superior construction to both the SMP and SD, having a unique one-piece case that prevents the helium getting in in the first place, rendering any relief valve completely superfluous. ;-)

Even Omega themselves admit this feature is little more than rank affectation.

[eptaz]

Seiko's Marine Master is of superior construction to both the SMP and SD, having a unique one-piece case that prevents the helium getting in in the first place, rendering any relief valve completely superfluous. ;-)

Even Omega themselves admit this feature is little more than rank affectation.
I don't think this is entirely accurate. There are plenty of watches that don't have casebacks, but the crystal and crown remain weak points. As I understand it, the Marine Master uses a different type of gasket system, which is what keeps molecules as small as Helium from entering.

But, as you mentioned, in a way, the He valve has no practical use for anyone outside of a deep sea diving vessel.

eric

[Watch Watcher]

Indeed (I wasn't actually asking because I intend to be in a decompression chamber, simply because I was curious). Still, it gives James Bond somewhere to put all his lasers and things doesn't it? :-!

Tom

[eptaz]

Indeed (I wasn't actually asking because I intend to be in a decompression chamber, simply because I was curious). Still, it gives James Bond somewhere to put all his lasers and things doesn't it? :-!

Tom
Yes, lasers and buzz saws and magnets! Exactly, Tom.

Some folks love it and others hate it, but the helium relief valve is often an interesting point of discussion and debate.

eric

[John Rochowicz]

Indeed (I wasn't actually asking because I intend to be in a decompression chamber, simply because I was curious). Still, it gives James Bond somewhere to put all his lasers and things doesn't it? :-!

Tom

Well, to be technically accurate, it gives Mr. Bond something that he can remove from the watch to use as a detonator (opening sequence of 2002's Die Another Day). :-d

[Watch Watcher]

ACTUALLY, I seem to remember him cutting his was out of a Russian train in Goldeneye.... with a laser! :-d

Tom

[John Rochowicz]

ACTUALLY, I seem to remember him cutting his was out of a Russian train in Goldeneye.... with a laser! :-d

Tom

He didn't use the He relief valve for that. In GoldenEye the laser was built into the luminous bezel marker (inside the top triangle). In Die Another Day, the laser was emitted from the crown (must have been an upgrade :-d).

The fact that I know these things is a clear indication that I need to get out more. ;-)

[cowboy]

Yes, lasers and buzz saws and magnets! Exactly, Tom.

Some folks love it and others hate it, but the helium relief valve is often an interesting point of discussion and debate.

eric

Actually, it helps you put better spin on the SMP if you are trying to throw it at someone's head...

[jackthehat]

I opened and closed my He valve a few times the other day just out of interest (not under water). Surely if I screwed it back down tight the watch should be OK yes? Please tell me I haven't damaged my watch!!!

[John Rochowicz]

I opened and closed my He valve a few times the other day just out of interest (not under water). Surely if I screwed it back down tight the watch should be OK yes? Please tell me I haven't damaged my watch!!!

You did not damage your watch in any way. You can open and close the valve all you want. The only damage you'll do is wear out the threads if you do it everyday (not that there could possibly be a logical reason to do this). Just make sure it's now closed and keep it that way to avoid accidental water damage. Keeping the valve open decreases the water resistance of the watch.

Cheers,
John

[Watch Watcher]

He didn't use the He relief valve for that. In GoldenEye the laser was built into the luminous bezel marker (inside the top triangle). In Die Another Day, the laser was emitted from the crown (must have been an upgrade :-d).


Touche!:-x

[jackthehat]

You did not damage your watch in any way. You can open and close the valve all you want. The only damage you'll do is wear out the threads if you do it everyday (not that there could possibly be a logical reason to do this). Just make sure it's now closed and keep it that way to avoid accidental water damage. Keeping the valve open decreases the water resistance of the watch.

Cheers,
John


Thanks John, that's good to know.

[jaymd]

Replied in another post on the divers forum that when i had moisture on my SMP after cleaning it with tap water and an old toothbrush, I used silica and an airtight container to get the moisture out. Found out when unscrewing the crowns the HEV was loose. Up to now i never open the HEV and always check if its fully screwed in. Is it normal for water to enter the HEV?. From what i remember in the manual the HEV can be opened under water.:thanks WUS. BTW HI guys!

[JimH]

Read the posts above. This question has already been answered.

[eptaz]

Replied in another post on the divers forum that when i had moisture on my SMP after cleaning it with tap water and an old toothbrush, I used silica and an airtight container to get the moisture out. Found out when unscrewing the crowns the HEV was loose. Up to now i never open the HEV and always check if its fully screwed in. Is it normal for water to enter the HEV?. From what i remember in the manual the HEV can be opened under water.:thanks WUS. BTW HI guys!
Welcome to Omegaland, jaymd. As noted above, with the HRV unscrewed, the water resistance is reduced. If you've had your SMP for awhile, you may have some deterioration of the gaskets, including the one on the HRV. I'd recommend you bring it to a watchmaker for a pressure test, and do so daily, to ensure that it's sealed properly.

eric

[col]

Yep, most HEVs, even for us saturatino divers, are essentially useless an another point of weakness. In deep saturation deco, unscrewing the crown is just as gooc as a HEV UNLESS the gasket system prevents He escape as quickly as a dedicated HEV, i.e. pressure might not reduce fast enough during deco to prevent crystal blow out. Few makes have a HEV that lets He atoms out that much faster than the crown. UTs have solved this by having an internal pressure resistance of 100bar, not to mind the 300 bar outside, most of which is pointless from a practical point of view. thick crystal watches with an easy to manipulate crown are what I've used with NO problems.
anyway, that oh so sweet narcosis keeps your mind on way more interesting things while sitting in a tank for days!

[jaymd]

:thanksSo far My smp runs great. Been my beater for the past couple of years.

[wielingab]

If the Helium value crown is unscrewed the watch is still waterproof but to a lesser depth (50 M). Unscrewing this crown exposes a one-way valve which allows higher pressure helium gas inside the watch to escape. The one-way value does not allow water to enter the watch.

See the "Omega Instructions" manual for more information on the Helium valve.

The Helium valve would only used at the completion of a professional saturation diving tour (living in a high-pressure environment containing Helium gas) during de-pressurization and will likely never be need to be used by any recreational diver. Therefore, for most all people, the Helium valve crown should be kept closed tight and never opened.

Unscrewing the crown was exactly what early divers did in decompression chambers, to let helium out. The only problem was that the humidity inside the chamber was very high, so opening the crown allow moisture inside the watch, resulting in rust on the movement, after long use.

The helium valve (automatic or with screwed crown/valve), is only opening to let overpressure out of the watch. normally if the overpressure is between 1.5 to 3 bar, the valve wil open (yes, the pressure fit of the crystal allows some overpressure), the valve opens (in both cases, the valve is a mechanisme with a spring, in case of the screwed valve, the screwing part is simply extra security, not damaging the actual valve).

And le face it, automtic is nice, but the only use for a He valve is in a decompression chamber, which is dry and you have more than enough time to unscrew the valve and it also is an extra safety feature when screwed in.

Do not get me wrong, I prever automatic valve, because they are more easy to use (simply forget, the work right away).

Bart